Here are 15 great tech gifts for everyone on your shopping list

Black Friday started way back in October, with some of the best sales to come this weekend. Tech is going to be one of the biggest items people want to get and to give.

I like to give gifts that solve a problem — something the person didn’t know he needed until they open the box. Here’s how to archive your orders, keep Alexa quiet, and set up a special account to keep what you buy a secret.

I gathered up great gift ideas for the techie in your life, the person who’s frustrated because it never works for them, or a person who’s still a little afraid of it all.

1. Know someone with a not-so-green thumb?

The Click and Grow smart garden is gardening for those of us who can’t keep plants alive. You drop in the included plants, like cilantro, thyme, lavender, or strawberries, fill the water reservoir and plug it in. Done. It waters itself and all you have to do is harvest your bounty.

2. The perfect 3D printer for kids or tinkerers

Great news: 3D printers don’t cost an arm and a leg anymore. Get one for your supersmart grandkids or a tinkerer who wants to pick up a cool new hobby. The Creality Ender 3 3D Printer is right around $200. It’s everything you’d want in a 3D printer. It comes semi-assembled, so it won’t take forever to put together, it heats up quickly and it’s ultra-precise.

It can even resume printing if the power goes out.

3. Say goodbye to groggy mornings

You can’t gift a good night’s sleep, but you can get close with the Philips SmartSleep Sleep and Wake-Up Light. This high-tech alarm clock simulates the sunrise and sunset, helping your recipient get out of bed feeling more awake even in the dead of winter. It’s totally customizable, with 25 brightness settings. It also displays the time, connects to smartphones, and has FM radio. It’s everything you’d want in an alarm clock, with a huge bonus.

4. Got an artist in the family?

Looking for a fun retro gift? The Fujifilm Instax Mini 90 Neo Classic looks like an old-school film camera and is a little smarter than the Polaroid camera you used back in the day. It detects brightness and adjusts the flash and shutter speed and even has a macro lens for close photography.

5. Give a little light

Smart light bulbs are, for my money, one of the best smart home products around. You can play with different colors, dim lights you couldn’t before, and control it all with your voice. Give this to someone who wants to dip their toe into the smart home world. The Philips Hue Starter Kit comes with four bulbs and a hub that works with Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, or Google Assistant.

6. Give a gift your gamer will love

The PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and Nintendo Switch are expensive and nearly impossible to find. If you have a gamer in your life, throw it back with the MJKJ handheld Retro Game Console. It comes loaded with 2,500 games — all the classics. It has a 3.5-inch screen, eight-hour battery life, and fast charges with a USB cable.

7. An Apple gift anyone will love

Apple AirPods Pro have never been cheaper. These are great for anyone with an iPhone, iPad, or Mac, and I love the pro features. The noise cancellation, spatial audio, and replaceable ear tips make the AirPods Pro worth the extra cost. You can catch them for just under $200 and they could even go lower than that.

8. Help your friend track their workouts

The Fitbit Versa 3 is an excellent fitness watch. Run, bike, hike, and more phone-free — and see real-time pace and distance — with built-in GPS. Your recipient can check their workout intensity map in the Fitbit app, track Active Zone Minutes to gauge exercise effort, and much more. Get yourself one, too, and you can compare daily step counts.

9. Gift a gift that provides hours of entertainment

If someone you love wants a TV upgrade, the Insignia 43” 4K Fire TV Edition is a steal. Not only is it 4K, but it’s got Amazon Fire TV installed so you can stream your favorites on Netflix, Hulu, and all the rest. It also comes with a voice remote with Alexa built right in, too. Right now, it’s under $200.

10. Give a good night’s rest

Is your snoring keeping your partner awake all night? QuietOn earbuds use incredible noise-canceling technology. Basically, this tech uses a microphone to sample the sound of snoring and a speaker to produce an opposing sound. That wave acts like a noise eraser, and the result is amazing.

11. Don’t miss the dialogue anymore

Do you know someone who has trouble hearing the dialogue when they’re watching TV? Give them the Bose Solo 5 TV Soundbar Sound System with Universal Remote Control. It’sbuild on advanced technologies that deliver clear audio TVs can’t.

It’s got Bluetooth connectivity to stream music from any device wirelessly. Dialogue mode makes every word and detail stand out.

12. Spoil the chef in your life

Since just about everyone already has an Instant Pot, get them something they don’t have — the Instant Vortex Pro Air Fryer Oven 9 in 1. It’s an air fryer, but it also bakes, reheats, roasts, toasts, dehydrates, and has a spinning rotisserie.

13. Surprise your loved ones

Bluetooth speakers aren’t just about convenience anymore. Many of them have fantastic sound, like the JBL Charge 4 Bluetooth Speaker. The Charge 4 is portable, comes in many colors, and can play music for up to 20 hours on a single charge. It’s also waterproof because it’ll eventually be pool season again and you can connect up to two phones or tablets at the same time. It’s around $120.

14. Let this gift do the floors

Sure, you could spend $1,000 on another brand, or you can spend just a fraction on the Eufy Smart Vacuum Cleaner from Anker. It’s high-quality tech at a low price. The robot vacuum automatically increases suction power within 1.5 seconds when extra vacuuming strength is needed, like when someone spills all the granola. Use it for up to 100 minutes and it’s no louder than a microwave.

15. Treasure special moments

Digital picture frames have become so easy to use. That’s important if you plan to get one for relatives who aren’t the most tech-savvy. Take the 10-inch Nixplay Smart Digital Picture Frame. Sure, you can still use your computer or email to add photos, but it’s easier to share a private network and add photos from anywhere using a phone app. Just think how nice that is if you haven’t seen them in months!

By clicking the links, you’re supporting my research. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases. I would never direct you to a product that does not work.

What digital lifestyle questions do you have? Call Kim’s national radio show and Kim Komando Show on your phone, tablet, television or computer. Follow @kimkomando